Multiple-port valve for air conditioning systems



March 23, 1954 v w TIP-[ON 2,672,887

MULTIPLE-PORT] VALVE FOR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS Filed July 21, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR. VIA GIL w. 'nn'on i JM/Q ATTORNEY March 23, 195 v w TlPTON I 2,672,887

MULTIPLE-PORT VALVE FOR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS Filed July 21, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. VIRGIL 'WI TIPTON BY Maw ATTORNE Y Patented Mar. 23, .1954

MULTIPLE-PORT VALVE FOR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS Virgil W. Tipton, Miami, Fla., assignor to Tipton Heat Pump'& Valve Corporation, Miami, Fla a corporation of Florida Application July 2 1, 1950, Serial No. 175,243

Claims.

. This invention relates to a multiple-port valve and is more particularly directed to a solenoid operated valve adapted to be used in an air conditioning unit for reverse cycle operation in order that the conventional air conditioning unit may be also utilized as a space heater.

Therefore, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a multiple-port valve which may be interconnected in an air conditioning system, whereby the system may be operated to selectively cool or heat the volume flow of air being conditioned depending upon the operating position of the multiple-port valve.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a valve device for reverse cycle operation which is simple in construction and operation and inexpensive to manufacture and install in air conditioning units.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a multiple-port valve for an air conditioning unit which adapts the air conditioning unit for heating as well as cooling air, wherein the multiple-port valve may be electrically operated by a switch for selective operation of the air conditioning unit.

With these and other objects in View, the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the present specification with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of thedrawings, but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications marl; no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View of a simple air conditioning system embodying/my invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a valve embodying my invention with the valve body shown in one position;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to Figure 2 but showing the valve body in its other position. I

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken thru 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken thru 5-5 0 Figure 3.

The apparatus embodying the present invention is shown in connection with air conditioning apparatus for the purpose of illustration. .Re-

ierring now to the. drawingsand inparticularto Figure 1', "there is 'shown'a simple diagrammatic sketch of an air conditioning package unit (er:-

cept for the minor changes made to adapt the device of the present invention to the system) with the area A being the space to be air conditioned and the area B being the space wherein the dissipation of heat, etc. takes place. The air conditioning unit consists of a compressor It with its high pressure or discharge hot gas line I I con nested to a port ii of the multi-port valve I 3 and having its return or suction line I 4 connected to a port It diametrically opposed to the port 92 of the valve 23. Ports I6 and I! of the valve l3 are each connected to lines I 9 and I8 respectively which in turn are connected to a condenser i353 and an evaporator or cooling coil 2|. A capillary tube 22 completes the system connecting together the condenser 2&3 and the cooling coil 21 with a pair of filters 23 interposed at each end of the tube 22 in order to catch any sediment and foreign matter in whichever direction the fluid refrigerant may be flowing. A motor 24 operates fans 25 and as which serve the well known function of creating and distributing a volume flow of air over the cooling coil 2| and the condenser 25 respectively.

, As shown by Figures 2-4 inclusive, the multipleport valve I3 consists of a cylindrical casing 21 having four ports I2, I5, I t" and I? all in the same horizontal plane and symmetricallydisposed thereabout at 90 degree intervals. A valve piston 28 which is slidably positioned in the casing 2! has a cavity 25 and 30 at each end thereof and a bore 3! extending longitudinally thru the piston valve 2% connecting the chambers formed by the cavities 29 and 30. The valve casing 2i is provided at its bottom with a cap 32 which is bolted or otherwise secured thereto, having an opening 33 therethru to which a drain line 34 is fitted and communicates with the suction line M. A spring 35 is positioned between the cap 32 and the piston valve 28 at the cavity as to yieldingly hold the piston valve 28 in its upper position as shown in Figure 2. A cap 38 which is soldered or otherwise secured to the top of the valve casing 21 has a port 31 extending thru the cap 36 and a second passage 33 extending radially to connect the first port 31' at about its midsection. A conduit 33 secured to the port 38 is connected to the high pressure line I I as shown.

' and l i permit communication betweenthe ports I2 and I6 and ports I5 and I1 respectively when ing to the construction of the valve 43, when the. valve piston 28 is in the upper position as shown by Figures 2 and 4, the port I2 is incommunicae tion with port It and the port connects with:

the port H; when the piston, valve. 28 has been.

moved to its lower positionisee Figures '3iand5). the port l2 communicates with'the port I! while the port i5 communicates with the port l5. It

is to be noted that the piston valve 28is' in -its lower position when it abuts against thecap .32,

and in its upper position, when it abuts against the cap 36, thus ensuring the proper alignment of the pairs of passages 40, -"4| and-"42,13 with the ports l2, l5, l6 and-l1.

To efiect the aforementioned valvemovement, a solenoid operated valve mechanism--44 i s mounted on the valve casing 21, consisting of a solenoid 45 mounted on a centrallypos'itioned tubing 46 Whose, flanged openend is securedto the cover or cap 36 by aflange type union 55. A plunger 41 slidably'positionedwithin the tubing 46, is connected-to a'valve'stem 43 upon the free end of which is secured a cylindrical slide valve 49 having its end cone shaped to form a second valve 50. The valve" 49 flts snugly in the bore 31 so thatwhen .the solenoid 45 is energized the plunger .41 moves to its upper position carrying the .valve .49 into'gthe bore-31 and its side wall blocks off the, bore 31'from communication with the cavity and the chamber above the piston valve 28' (see. Figure"2). The bore 3| in the piston valve 28 hasa seat 5| thereon to receivethe cone shaped 'end'5ll of thevalve 49 when the solenoid 45 is de-energized and the valve 49 moves to its lowered position and the seat 5| receives the end 5|] of the valve49 to cutoff communication between the upper and lower cavities 3|! and 29.; Thewires 52, 52 0f the solenoid 45 are connected to'a switch and power source not shown. A bleed port 53 in thecover'35 extends between the chamber in the tubing-46 and the cavity:3 fl including thechamber above the piston valve 28 so as to relieve-in the tubing 46 any pressures'that may accumulate therein. To pre-- vent the piston valve 28 from turning within the casing ,21, a pin 54 is mounted on the. cover 32 and extending into a bore'55 in the lower portion-- of the valve 28.

In the operation of the device, when the switch.

is operated so as to energize the solenoid 45, the plunger 41 moves upwardly carryingthe valve 49 upwardly to seat it within the bore 31 cutting sure to force the pistonvalve 28 to slide up-.

wardly to its topmost position as shown inFigures 2 and 4. While in this position, the high pressure line, H of the compressor l0 communi-.

cateswith the line-19 of the evaporator 2| "so that the hot dischargegas'ispermittedto flow into. the evaporatoror cooling-coili'l Air which is blown by the fan 25 across the fins of the evaporator coils 2| absorbs the heat which is being given off by the refrigerant in the coils 2|, all of which takes place in the area A.

The high pressure fluid in the coils 2| then becomes liquifled and asses thru the capillary tubing22 where the refrigerant is expanded at the condenser; coil 25 fromwhere it is returned in avapor state thru the linel8 back to the valve passage 4| in the valve 28 and into the low pressure or suction line M of the compressor l0 thus completing. the; {reverse cycle.

"when thesolenoid is de-energized (see Figures 3 and 5 theplunger 41 will slide downwardly 'dueQi-ts .own'weightpcarrymg the valve 49 downwardlyitoseaton the valve seat 5| of the bore 3|, cutting off communication between the upper andalower -caviti es:29 and 30. The upper cavity 30.,of the valve 28 now communicates with the high pressure fluid in the lines II and 39, thus causing the piston valve 28 to move downwardly underthe' fluidpressureexertedby the hotrefrigerant gases.

The fluid trappedin the chamber below the valve 28 and in the bore 3! is drained thru the conduit 34 to the suction line "I4 bf-the compressor Ill. With the-valve 28 inthe lower'positionyas shown 'by-Figures =3 and 5, thehigh pressure side of the compressor lUcommunicates thru the tubing H with the port 12 of the valve 28.'-The passage 43 in the valve -body- 28 .con-' nectsthe port l2 with-the port permitting the flow of the high pressure refrigerant therethru to the line it and the condenser=2|l where the high'pressure vapor dissipa'tesits 'heat and becomes liquinedr The liquid' refrig'erant then flowsthruthe capillary tube-22 which acts as an expansion valve causing the liquid refrigerant to expand and cool the evaporator coils 2|, which in turn cools the air which is being'blowmover thecoils 2| by the fan 25 to cool-the room'or area A. The vaporized refrigerant-now'flows thru the tubing! to the port liiythe valve passage 42-and to the suction line M of the compressor ill, "thus-completing the cooling cycle.

It can be seen that by the use' 'of the applica'nts device in an air conditionin'g unit with minor changes andadjustments madethereto, the air-conditioning unit may be used as a heater as well as acoolingunit;

While the inventionhas been" described with reference to a certain preferred embodiment thereof, which gives satisfactory results, it will be understoodbythose skilled in the art to which the *inventionpertains, after understanding the invention, that variouschanges and modifications may be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention-,and-it is my intention therefore to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications.

What I claim is:

1. A multiple-portjvalve having a valve casing, a plurality of ports containedby said casing, said ports lying in a plane and com-prisingia' plurality of inlets andoutlets, a valve. body slidably mounted in said valve casing, means mounted in said casing .yieldingly forcing. said valve bodyv in one direction, a plurality of passages formed in said valve body lying in a plane to form a group and adapted to connect each of said inlets with each of said outlets with said valve body in said position, further means operably connected to said valve body adapted to slide saidvalve body against said first named means in the opposite direction; and asecond group of passages;form ed in said valve body in a plane parallel to and spaced from said first group constructed and arranged to connect said inlets together and said outlets together with said valve body in said another position.

2. A valve for reverse cycle operation of an air conditioning system comprising a valve casing, a valve body slidably mounted in said casing, means yieldingly urging said valve body in one position, a plurality of ports contained by said valve casing, said ports lying in the same plane and comprising a pair of inlets and outlets a pair of passages lying in a plane and contained by said valve body adapted to connect each of said inlets with said outlets causing a flow of fluid in one direction when the valve body is in said one position, a second pair of passages contained by said valve body lying in a plane parallel to and spaced from said first pair of passages adapted to connect said inlets together and said outlets together permitting a flow of fluid in a changed direction thru said valve when said valve body is in a second position and fluid pressure means operably connected to said valve adapted to move said valve body to said second position against said means.

3. A device of the class described comprising a valve casing, a plurality of ports contained by said casing, said ports lying in a plane and comprising a plurality of inlets and outlets, a cap secured to each end of said casing, a valve body slidably mounted in said casing between said caps, spring means positioned between said valve body and one of said caps urging said valve body to one position, a plurality of passages contained by said valve body lying in a plane to form a group and adapted to connect each of said inlets with'said outlets with the valve body in said one position, fluid pressure means in said second cap communicating with said valve body adapted to force said valve body to a second position, a second group of passages lying in a plane contained by said valve body positioned in spaced relation to said first group of passages and adapted to interconnect said inlets together and said outlets together in said second position, and valve means for controlling said fluid pressure means.

4. A device of the class described comprising a valve casing, a plurality of ports contained by said casing lying in a plane and comprising a pair of inlets and outlets, a cap secured to each end of said casing, a valve body slidably mounted in said casing between said caps, a cavity contained at each end of said valve body forming a lower and an upper chamber, a spring mounted in said lower chamber between said lower cap and said valve body urging said valve body to its upper position against said upper cap, a bore in said valve body connecting said chambers, a pair of passages lying in a plane contained by said valve body adapted to interconnect said inlets with said outlets with said valve body in said upper position, a port in said upper cap communicating with said upper chamber, a duct connecting one of said inlets and said port, valve means for controlling the flow of fluid through said duct and said port for moving said valve body to said lower po ition adjacent said lower cap, a second pair of passages contained by said valve body lying in a plane above said first pair of passages, said second pair of passages interconnecting said inlets together and said outlets together with said valve body in said lower position, drain means in said lower cap connecting said lower chamber and one of said outlets, and valve operating means connected to said valve means.

5. The structure as recited by claim 4 and further means mounted within said valve casing adapted to prevent rotation of said valve body.

VIRGIL W. 'IIPTON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 405,959 Hampton June 25, 1889 685,741 Clarke Nov. 5, 1901 2,259,756 Lindsay Oct. 21, 1941 2,342,174 Wolfert Feb. 22, 1944 2,351,140 McCloy June 13, 1944 2,434,586 Reynolds Jan. 13, 1948 2,444,815 Edison July 6, 1948 2,474,304 Clancy June 28, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 24,164 Great Britain Dec. 31, 1893 

